The Commander's Pleiades Report - December 3303
18 Dec 2017DR Platus
<START LOGBOOK ENTRY - SUBMITTED: 18-12-3303>Docking at Potagos Port with cargo for the PANUM PISCIUMQUE project:
I missed making an entry last week, not much exciting happened, just a bit of trading around empire space, with the odd interdiction attempt, which my trading vessel, Arrow To The Knee, successfully avoided.
This weekend, I saw on the GalNet boards that Angeli Imperial Enterprises need goods in order to build a Dionysus-class Agricultural Vessel that they want to base in the Pleiades. I decided to join in, as the base of operations was a mere 2 jumps from me, and a local station in my home system had more than enough of one of the desired commodities, being Marine Equipment, and I could make a profitable return run as well. They called their project, 'PANUM PISCIUMQUE'.
I joined in, and was happily running the trade route, and not making a bad stack of credits each time, while reading about the Thargoid attack in the Pleiades. I initially showed no interest in it beyond reading the GalNet articles, but during a break while I was waiting for the dock handlers to offload cargo, I got chatting to another Commander who said that I could even help with 'Arrow To The Knee'.
I did a few more runs for the 'PANUM PISCIUMQUE' project, and then decided what the frack, I've never been to the Pleiades, and while they may have unnecessarily annoyed the Thargoids by shooting at them randomly, there are still people who need assistance. So, I fitted a fuel scoop, removed my DC module as they said it was manual docking at the affected stations, and made the 16 jumps to Pleiades Sector IR-W D1-55, where The Oracle is located. Of the three systems attacked, this was the closest to me, hence my choice.
Once I arrived in system, I headed off to the Rescue Ship, and refitted 'Arrow To The Knee' with pax cabins and heat sinks, so that I could take survivors off of the burning station. I then headed off to The Oracle, and was greeted with quite a site, and a panicked Flight Control, on arrival. I requested and was approved for 'Emergency Docking' at The Oracle, but my first attempt did not go so well, as I am not used to manual docking at the best of times, much less in a burning station with debris floating around, while the ship computer is getting edgy about heat levels. So, unfortunately, I exploded before I could dock successfully. Luckily the insurance company has an agent based on the Rescue Ship just for cases like mine, and I quickly had a replacement ship in the hangar.
Anyway, after I bit of strategizing, subsequent rescue attempts were successful. I only aborted one docking attempt, as I had used up all my heatsinks and was been thrown around by explosions. This was the only time Flight Control at The Oracle sound disappointed rather than panicked. I have no idea how many people I rescued off of the Oracle, but I am glad I did my part. While I am not a combat pilot, I am all about business, and making love not war, so will never take the Thargoids on, I will happily take part in further rescue operations as required.
'The Oracle' on fire:
That being said, as a break from the insanity of the rescue runs to The Oracle, I decide to tootle around the system a bit to see the sights. First waypoint that I jumped to was labelled 'Distress Call', when I arrived I found a Federation Vessel of some description in a green cloud, typical Thargoid attack aftermath. While checking out what contacts my sensors picked up, when they didn't bug out, I was also hearing what I could best describe as 'whale calls' (an extinct mammal from Earth hundreds of years ago). This was when I saw the distinct 'flower' formation of a Thargoid ship, I reversed but then saw that there were a few hanging around, apparently retrieving escape pods. I followed one around until he noticed me and swarmed. It was at this point I reversed quickly and jumped out. I have no beef with them right now, they leave me alone, I leave them alone.
My first Thargoid Encounter:
I did also come across the a Sanchez Class Science Vessel ZIG-097 that had been attacked by Thargoids, but there were no sign of any of them around the ship while I was there. I was glad to see that here, and at a Bulk Freighter that had met the hard end of a Thargoid attack, that there were medical/rescue vessels busy. Not much I could do otherwise, so didn't hang around too long at either site.
Aftermath of a Thargoid attack on a Sanchez Class Science Vessel:
I do not believe that this is the last we've seen of the Thargoids, and that they will attack more stations. Whether or not they will only target systems and stations where Aegis Research is based, or attack any human station, remains to be seen.
Now, some nice scenery in the midst of all the chaos:
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